KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES - 7/10
A pleasant enough movie but disappointed that it didn't go all out. Story felt small and the plot felt too familiar from previous Apes movies. It seemed to me that they held back and it becomes painfully obvious at the end when you can see they are clearly aiming for another trilogy. Outstanding visual effects, just seamless. The orangutan Raka was the favorite character, hope to see again in the sequels. I thought it was a mistake to introduce the main antagonist in the third act, should have been introduced much earlier. Lukewarm recommendation on seeing this in theaters.
I liked this one a good amount. It has the typical black comedy style of Lanthimos, but this one is also a fairly well done historical drama/period piece. You are never exactly sure when things are going to get absurdly hilarious or dark, which gives those moments a good amount more weight.
The main attraction in the movie is the conniving back and forth between Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz as they fight for the favouritism of Queen Anne played by Olivia Coleman. All three play their roles to near perfection. For a film that takes place inside one castle pretty much the entire film, it is able to use the character interactions between the three to keep interest high.
There is also a subplot involving the war with the French, and other political mischief and power struggles involving the likes of Nicholaus Hoult (very good in this) that helps too.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending and maybe the last 10 to 15 minutes or so. It doesnt quite feel like it really melds naturally with the rest of the film quite as much as it could have. It feels a bit rushed aswell.
Overall another Lanthimos film I enjoyed to a good extent.
The Land of Bad--7/10
This is a military operation survival thriller starring Liam Hemsworth and Milo Ventimiglia with a cool supporting role with Russel Crowe. This is done well with cool set pieces and action scenes. This has the added twists of Drone support and air support, lead by Russel Crowe. Liam does a nice job and for fans of these type of movies, this one hits the notes.
This is one of those rare times our views on a movie/TV show is so polarizing. I thought Godzilla: Minus One was amazing and my personal favorite Godzilla movie of all time. Super impressed with the production values and visual effects despite its low budget. Really bummed that they didn't show the movie in theaters in my city.
Like I said, I know mine is by far the minority opinion.
I wish I had seen it without all the hype driving my expectations into the stratosphere.
I watched it in really high quality color and the effects just didn't do it for me. I guess I just wasn't in the mood for that flavor of over the top histrionic acting, and the final encounter felt too silly to immerse me.
Has anyone ever addressed how Godzilla stands up in deep water? That always throws me.
KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES - 7/10
A pleasant enough movie but disappointed that it didn't go all out. Story felt small and the plot felt too familiar from previous Apes movies. It seemed to me that they held back and it becomes painfully obvious at the end when you can see they are clearly aiming for another trilogy. Outstanding visual effects, just seamless. The orangutan Raka was the favorite character, hope to see again in the sequels. I thought it was a mistake to introduce the main antagonist in the third act, should have been introduced much earlier. Lukewarm recommendation on seeing this in theaters.
Like I said, I know mine is by far the minority opinion.
I wish I had seen it without all the hype driving my expectations into the stratosphere.
I watched it in really high quality color and the effects just didn't do it for me. I guess I just wasn't in the mood for that flavor of over the top histrionic acting, and the final encounter felt too silly to immerse me.
Has anyone ever addressed how Godzilla stands up in deep water? That always throws me.
The last watch was actually a rewatch... Stone's JFK (director's cut).
It must be well over 20 years since I last watched it. It's a polarizing movie, and I don't believe for a second that Stone's interpretation of events (despite the amount of research put into the film) are to be taken as gospel or the way the assassination materialized.
Stone played it fast and loose with the "facts" surrounding the case, which was also typical for a lot of Hollywood fare in the past. For some reason though, being liberal with history concerning this movie really stuck to Stone (as a director) and this film in particular.
Taken as simply as a story, I still think this movie is exceptional and very, very well done. As a historical accounting of events... meh, I don't buy it. That being said, I am not American and I don't buy the whole "Oswald acted alone" narrative either.
I remember watching JFK when it first came out, and thinking I can't wait until all the documents and information from the assassination become unsealed so everyone can really find out what happened (which I believe was supposed to be 2023). And over time, I managed to forget about it.
Even decades later, the cinematography still holds up. This film literally has an all-star cast, and the only performance knock I can make is Costner's "accent". Everyone else dialed it in perfectly. Can Gary Oldman even make a bad movie? Even with John Williams only having limited contributions to the film, sound was great.
Also, it's so strange to see smoking in courtrooms. I am old enough to remember basically being able to smoke anywhere, but after years and years of it being forbidden in public spaces, it's just odd to see.
The last watch was actually a rewatch... Stone's JFK (director's cut).
It must be well over 20 years since I last watched it. It's a polarizing movie, and I don't believe for a second that Stone's interpretation of events (despite the amount of research put into the film) are to be taken as gospel or the way the assassination materialized.
Stone played it fast and loose with the "facts" surrounding the case, which was also typical for a lot of Hollywood fare in the past. For some reason though, being liberal with history concerning this movie really stuck to Stone (as a director) and this film in particular.
Taken as simply as a story, I still think this movie is exceptional and very, very well done. As a historical accounting of events... meh, I don't buy it. That being said, I am not American and I don't buy the whole "Oswald acted alone" narrative either.
I remember watching JFK when it first came out, and thinking I can't wait until all the documents and information from the assassination become unsealed so everyone can really find out what happened (which I believe was supposed to be 2023). And over time, I managed to forget about it.
Even decades later, the cinematography still holds up. This film literally has an all-star cast, and the only performance knock I can make is Costner's "accent". Everyone else dialed it in perfectly. Can Gary Oldman even make a bad movie? Even with John Williams only having limited contributions to the film, sound was great.
Also, it's so strange to see smoking in courtrooms. I am old enough to remember basically being able to smoke anywhere, but after years and years of it being forbidden in public spaces, it's just odd to see.
yeah the editing, cinematography and the score themselves all coalesce into a highly compelling piece of entertainment. And that’s not even including the performances, many of which are memorable and effective. I think it’s actually one of Costner’s most difficult and nuanced performances.
Scene with Donald Sutherland is and always has been my favorite. Courtroom finale is quite good, too. Oldman steals every scene he’s in.
But yea, obviously this is a piece of popular entertainment and it somehow got swept up into being perceived as something bigger. The blurred line between fact and fiction was odd and I think Stone became very much convinced that a lot of what he included in the movie was pertinent to the case.
I read some of Bugliosi’s book on the assassination and he very quickly dismantled a lot of the big conspiracy theories. Very cogent arguments that made me far more skeptical of any notion that the story goes beyond Oswald.
But the movie is still very good.
You should watch Stone’s Nixon next. I thought that was even better.
I liked it but the pacing seems off at times. I watched the 105 minute version, but it has the machete trailer before it, so I'm not sure if this was theatrical or extended cut.
Obviously it it pretty over the top and tongue in cheek ridiculous most of the time. Great cast...Brolin, Biehn, Willis, etc. Rose McGowan and Marly Shelton feel like the protagonists although you can argue it is Freddy Rodriguez who plays the badass antihero with a mysterious past.
Gets pretty gross at times, as it is a zombie infection movie. But uses it to its advantage for cringe and or laughs.
You get some pretty good action and comedy moments, pretty well done characters, and a good amount of fun. I prefer death proof but this didnt feel especially overshadowed by it.
I'll say the pacing issues I felt were more in the first half. Second half goes by a lot smoother and there is even a missing real gag that makes up for some lost time in a way.
Also makes a very ballsy choice I wasnt expecting regarding a certain character.
Somewhere between a 6.5 and a 7/10 i think. Part of me really enjoyed it but the other thinks it lacks a bit of something.
I liked it but the pacing seems off at times. I watched the 105 minute version, but it has the machete trailer before it, so I'm not sure if this was theatrical or extended cut.
Obviously it it pretty over the top and tongue in cheek ridiculous most of the time. Great cast...Brolin, Biehn, Willis, etc. Rose McGowan and Wendy Testaberger feel like the protagonists although you can argue it is Freddy Rodriguez who plays the badass antihero with a mysterious past.
Gets pretty gross at times, as it is a zombie infection movie. But uses it to its advantage for cringe and or laughs.
You get some pretty good action and comedy moments, pretty well done characters, and a good amount of fun. I prefer death proof but this didnt feel especially overshadowed by it.
I'll say the pacing issues I felt were more in the first half. Second half goes by a lot smoother and there is even a missing real gag that makes up for some lost time in a way.
Also makes a very ballsy choice I wasnt expecting regarding a certain character.
Somewhere between a 6.5 and a 7/10 i think. Part of me really enjoyed it but the other thinks it lacks a bit of something.
I prefer it to Death Proof but I think Grindhouse itself is a prime example of a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. The combination of those two films and the fake trailers made for an epic movie-going experience. Parse those out into separate entities as they did for the dvd release and they lose a lot.
Hong Kong martial arts film directed by King Hu and produced by the Shaw Brothers. It is widely considered a pivotal wuxia film that preceded the explosion of kung fu movies in the 70's.
Bandit Jade Faced Tiger (Chan Hung-lit) kidnaps the son of the local governor in a gambit to get his mentor released from prison.
The Governor's other child, Golden Swallow (Cheng Pei-pei), is an accomplished martial artist and she searches for Jade Faced Tiger and his gang in order to free her brother.
Golden Swallow encounters an eccentric beggar named Drunken Cat (Yueh Hua) who may be willing to assist her on her quest.
Come Drink With Me begins with sweeping cinematographic shots, beautiful costumes, and mass battles; it feels like an epic before becoming more playful. Come Drink With Me is campy, but it pales in comparison to the high camp of a standard Shaw kung fu flick from the 70's.
Unusual for a kung fu film, Golden Swallow is a strong female character with an actual arc. Famously, Pei-pei was a ballerina with little or no martial arts experience prior to filming this film. Hu took full advantage of her gracefulness when creating the fight scenes.
Vengeance is the common central theme for most kung fu films and Come Drink With Me is no exception. Drunken Cat
faces a moral dilemma in dealing with Abbot Liao Kung. Drunken Cat acknowledges his personal debt to Kung while also desiring vengeance against Kung for the murder of their teacher. Golden Swallow recedes in the 3rd act and the movie becomes about Drunken Cat and the resolution of his conflict with the Abbot. The movie could have ended when Drunken Cat spares the Abbot as long as Kung promises to leave in exile. Instead we get a very good final fight to the death between the two men.
Come Drink With Me demonstrates the nascent martial arts fight choreography that would be expanded and perfected in the 70's. The editing is choppy and crude at times. The fights are not realistic but they are much more grounded than 70's kung fu action. We do not get the exaggerated movements and over the top sound effects that characterize later Hong Kong martial arts movies. To my surprise, I found the fight scenes to be a little disappointing. Perhaps I have been ruined by too many over the top kung fu flicks.
Rating: I prefer my kung fu films to fully embrace their campiness and so this is a second tier Shaw movie for me. It is a pivotal and important film that is well worth watching both for the movie itself and its importance in the history of martial arts cinema.
Hey, I know over the years I've begged you and Anung to check out Pointless Hub, who I think gives the funniest film reviews on YouTube, and either you guys didn't like him or never watched them.
He did a great one on Godzilla a while ago, pretty damned funny if you like dry humor. He loves giant monsters and reviewed all the Transformers films and Pacific Rim. I wish he posted more, he always makes me smile.
Here's the Godzilla video, maybe @eddymotto will watch it. He also reviewed ALL the Sharknado films (in one shot) which might be why I hold them in higher regard than most. That review was a blast.
American neo-noir revenge film directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Terence Stamp, Luis Guzman, Barry Newman, and Peter Fonda.
Wilson (Stamp) is an old career criminal who was recently released from prison. He travels to Los Angeles to look into the recent death of his estranged daughter, Jenny.
Wilson becomes suspicious that Jenny's much older boyfriend, Terry Valentine (Fonda) and his sidekick, Avery (Newman), were responsible for Jenny's death.
This is a pretty straightforward crime/revenge film. There are not a lot of frills to the plot, evidenced by a brisk 90 minute run time.
Wilson and Valentine are old men well past their primes. Valentine is living off a reputation and fortune, both dwindling, that he made in the 60's. He remains famous enough to date beautiful young women but his current girlfriend cannot help but smirk at his insistence on decorating his home with tired old Gold Albums and telling the same motorcycle story over and over again. A party at his mansion in the Hollywood Hills has a great view but mostly shows an outdated decor and a group of less than glamorous guests. His bodyguards have an average BMI > 35 and Avery recruits hitmen from pool hustlers at a local bar.
Wilson is no master criminal either. He is street smart, determined, and ruthless but his criminal career mostly involved him getting caught and sent to prison (no less than 3 times).
I was struck by how unglamorous Soderbergh makes LA look. A road trip up the PCH to Big Sur is filmed with a narrow view on the road and faded out brown landscape.
Soderbergh uses lots of little edits to spruce up the solid but basic plot. Conversations are often cut across locations and times. That is, the characters start a sentence sitting at a table and finish the sentence while driving in a car and then back again at the table. It does not make much sense but it works well enough. Personally, I could have done without it and it felt like Soderbergh was trying to rizz up some clunky dialogue.
The direction is all over the place. There are some great shots like showing Wilson throwing a goon to his death with the scene captured over the shoulder of a man at a party. In another scene, Wilson is thrown out on the street by some goons. We see him draw a tiny gun and march back in. We hear shots and screams and one of the goons comes sprinting out. It is a brilliant way to capture the action without even having to show us everything. On the other hand, a couple of minutes earlier Wilson is wandering around an industrial part of LA and the scene looks like something a high school student would shoot.
Stamp is absolutely incredible. He emanates a casual coolness and an underlying menace. He is by far the best part of the film.
I really wanted to like this film but is tops out at slightly above average. If you like noir movies, it is worth watching for Stamp's performance alone.
Going in I was thinking the biggest thing this movie had to get right is being able to work if you already know the story. And for me it did.
The film is seen through the eyes of Zac Efron, as Kevin, the oldest brother of the group. He definitely gives a good enough performance here that I think he probably shouldve gotten a nomination. Maybe he went a bit too far with the physical transformation, but everything else is on point.
Wrestling plays a major factor in the story, obviously. The film is overall more focused on the family dynamic though. Each brother trying to wriggle their way into the favor of their father, the patriarch Jack Von Erich, played by Holt McCallany
Of course this leads to some sibling rivalries. It also contains the main heart of the film, which is the showing of how close these brothers are and how much they really care about each other. Efron is the focus, but each gets enough time so you get to know them and care about them.
I definitely think this one could've and should've gotten an oscar nomination. I think I might have enjoyed it more than almost every one that was nominated. Especially when emotional impact is taken into account.
I wasnt the biggest fan of all of editing choices. And I'm not sure if Jack gets quite enough to not feel a bit static for how prominent a role he plays in the film.
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